Clinical effects of buprenorphine during and after operation.

The analgesic, respiratory and hormonal effects of two doses of buprenorphine were studied during and after operation in 20 patients undergoing total hip replacement. The drug provided analgesia of long duration. The analesic and hormonal effects of the drug were greater after i.m. than after i.v. administration. The postoperative analgesic requirement of women was less than that of men. The pharmacodynamic differences shown between the sexes and between the two routes of administration are discussed in relation to the pharmacokinetics of the drug.